Hi guys,

Looking for some advice, I’ve recently bought a 595 142bhp and I’m looking at doing a few mods, but I don’t know where to start!.

I’ve looked at a sports cat, forge induction kit & maybe a bombadrone 2.0. Was looking at getting a TMC box aswell but don’t know how it would work with the mods I’m looking at? Don’t know if I’d be better to do the mods and then get a live map.

If anyone could give me some more info and some suggestions about what order to do them that would be awesome

Guess I might as well chime in late too

I'd say avoid the Bomardone - they're not road legal and there's rumors the police are installing noise pollution measuring devices in various places (they already catch the boy racers with v loud exhausts on Southend seafront) so besides potentially earning an MOT fail it might earn you a fine too and a command to replace it, if you're unlucky.

Go for a Record Monza instead - they're OEM so you can't get into trouble for them and make a v pleasant noise 

Decats are a bit of an interesting one - the govt is planning to tighten up the rules around decats even further, though since it's so hidden on the Abarth it's unlikely to earn an MOT fail unless the car fails on emissions / noise. So prob a nice sports cat / decat would be fine, but stash the original cat somewhere safe in case you need to refit it.

Induction kits - no idea, but I'd have expected a cold air intake would be quite a good idea since by default the car can draw in warm air from under the bonnet, which must decrease intercooler efficiency.

Defo go for a rolling remap over a chip, the chip tuning's generic whereas all cars are a bit different depending on mileage, how they've been driven, modifications, etc so at best you could be losing a few bhp here and there, and at the very worst it could shorten your engine's life through incorrect fueling.

Chip tuning's a good way to get an instant performance boost and make a bit of money for the company selling the chips, but unless it's a car which cannot be remapped (e.g. early Subaru Imprezas) the tuning chip really is a 'poor man's option' compared with an experienced tuner setting your car up on a rolling road.

Will it fail an MOT if there’s no back box?

Personally I rather like the Monza (makes the 500 sound like a mini-Alfa V6, which is what attracted me to the Abarth 500 in the first place) but you should be fine with any having a noise output of <80dB (avoid any which don't publish their noise ratings) as long as they're not marked "not for public road use" or "track use only"

From what I've heard the standard Abarth box makes quite a nice noise with a cat delete anyway though, so maybe try that with the sports cat as a first port of call?

From .gov, however note it is for new cars only. According to my MOT man there is no set limit for a car exhaust, however the police may stop you for " causing a nuisance " etc and will quote car type approval test at you. Scare tactics only, but as you know, if they decide to get you they will always find something. Best advice is don't have it loud enough to attract them !!


Cars and NoiseThe external noise emitted by passenger cars has been controlled since 1929 when the Motor Cars (Excessive Noise) regulations were introduced. New cars are now required to meet Europe-wide noise limits. These have been progressively reduced from 82 decibels (dB (A)) in 1978 to the current limit of 72 dB (A) established in 2016. Information on the level of noise recorded for new models of cars at their type approval test is also listed in the data table.[/size]
When looking at this information please note that off-road vehicles are allowed to be 1dB (A) louder and wheelchair accessible vehicles or armoured vehicles are allowed to be 2 dB (A) louder.[/font][/size]
The noise levels quoted above are the maximum levels that are permitted for new vehicle types. Many vehicles produce lower levels of noise, and it is illegal to modify the exhaust system of a vehicle to make it noisier than the level recorded for that model at type approval.[/font][/size]
A new EU regulation was introduced from July 2016. Regulation (EU) No 540/2014, phases in tighter noise limits over 10 years, together with a revised, more representative test procedure. By 2026 the limit for most new passenger cars will be 68 dB(A).[/font][/size]

It's the jump in Nm's (or footpounds in your country) that make you feel the difference. Mine went from 135 - 170Hp and 206 - 300Nm. Ypi'll notice!

gr J